Darwin Devotees Make “Father of Evolution” Facebook Superstar

September 11, 2009

Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life joined a Facebook group devoted to the celebration of this year’s 200th anniversary of the birth of the “Father of Evolution,” Charles Darwin. Now the organizers of the Facebook group are hoping hundreds of thousands more will sign up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publishing of Darwin’s famous book, On the Origin of Species.

The runup to the anniversary in November will also be marked by a series of lectures by some of the most eminent thinkers about evolution, which anyone may register to attend online.

NGS illustration of Charles Darwin and the variety of life that intrigued him by Ned M. Seidler

By Brian Handwerk

Special contributor to NatGeo News Watch

Charles Darwin’s virtual birthday bash was such a smashing success its organizers are hoping for an encore.

Now Phil Terry and Kendall Crolius hope to top that effort and rally one million Darwin devotees to their cause by November 24. On the Origin of Species was first published on that date 150 years ago.

As On the Origin of Species is one of the most important books with some of the biggest ideas in the last 2,500 years, we think it deserves one of the biggest groups on Facebook, says the group’s Web site The Darwin 150 Project.

The viral, grassroots effort to celebrate all things Darwin has picked up steam around the globe, adding hundreds of people a day and drawing a wide range of Darwin enthusiasts to the cause with technologies like Twitter (http://twitter.com/Darwin150).

Proud Monkeys

“Phil calls us a rag-tag group of global volunteers,” Crolius said, though participants also refer to themselves as “a group of proud monkeys.”

The group is open to anyone with an interest in Darwin but includes some of the world’s top scientific minds, who will tackle evolutionary topics in a series of free, live webcast lectures this fall.

The first talk of five talks, by esteemed Harvard University Professor Emeritus Everett Mendelsohn, is slated for September 16. Fittingly, it will set the stage for the Darwin’s evolution revolution by exploring the “World Before Darwin.”

Later speakers will include Jonathan Weiner (October 7) & Sean Carroll (November 4) on On the Origin of Species itself, and E.O. Wilson on the future frontiers of evolutionary biology (November 24).

“We’ve been surprised and thrilled that these people are willing and happy to share their love of the subject with people who are not necessarily academics but just very interested in Darwin,” said Crolius, who in her day job is a founding partner of the Sulevia Group.

Reading groups will meet Tuesdays October 6, November 3, and December 8.

Crolius said those who’ve never picked up Darwin’s famed book (online text available) might not be able to put it down once they give it a chance.

“He’s not just a brilliant scientist, he’s a wonderful writer,” she explained. “The way he describes things obviously reflects back on those extraordinary powers of observation which enabled him to hold all that information in his head and then connect the dots.”

Meet the Author

Forty years in U.S., UK, and South African media gives David Braun global perspective and experience across multiple storytelling platforms. His coverage of science, nature, politics, and technology has been published/broadcast by the BBC, CNN, NPR, AP, UPI, National Geographic, TechWeb, De Telegraaf, Travel World, and Argus South African Newspapers. He has published two books and won several journalism awards. He has 120,000 followers on social media. David Braun edits the National Geographic Society blog, hosting a global discussion on issues resonating with the Society's mission and initiatives. He also directs the Society side of the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship, awarded to Americans seeking the opportunity to spend nine months abroad, engaging local communities and sharing stories from the field with a global audience. Follow David on FacebookTwitterLinkedIn

Post Navigation

Related Posts

About National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society is an impact-driven global nonprofit organization that pushes the boundaries of exploration, furthering understanding of our world and empowering us all to generate solutions for a healthy, more sustainable future for generations to come. Our ultimate vision: a planet in balance.

Contact

If you are a member of the media with an inquiry or interview request, please call during regular business hours or email